Ottawa Redblacks come up huge in win over Edmonton Eskimos

The Ottawa Redblacks are showing they can go toe-to-toe with the big boys,

A week after beating the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Redblacks knocked off another tough West opponent, the Edmonton Eskimos, 28-15. After finishing with an 8-9-1 record last regular season, the Redblacks are already at 8-5.

There were plenty of heroes for the Redblacks on a breezy, but cloudless Saturday afternoon game at TD Place. The defence stood out much of the game. Running back William Powell ate up big chunks of yardage with 147 yards on the ground to pass 1,000 yards rushing on the season. Quarterback Trevor Harris, who limped off the field at one point, made some big throws with 313 yards passing.

“It was a big game for us,” said receiver Brad Sinopoli, who had 113 yards in catches. “Our guys came to play, our defence came up huge. We had some struggles in the Red Zone, but we still got points. Thank God for Lew (kicker Lewis Ward). It was a good team effort against a very good team that’s hard to win against.”

“(The Eskimos) are good,” Redblacks coach Rick Campbell said. “Mike Reilly can zing that ball around the field. They have athletic receivers who can make it tough. Good football teams, the offence, defence and special teams can make each other look good. You can say we wish the score was bigger, but we were beating a good football team.”

The Redblacks got four first-half field goals to lead 12-7 going into the break.

It didn’t start well for the Eskimos, with Hugh O’Neill’s opening kickoff bouncing out of bounds and the Redblacks getting the ball on their own 45-yard line. A 21-yard completion to Greg Ellingson and a 28-yard run by Powell helped set up a 27-yard field goal by Ward to give Ottawa a 3-0 lead just three minutes in.

The Eskimos marched on their first drive, but a 44-yard field goal attempt by Sean Whyte, into the wind, dropped short. Diontae Spencer fielded the ball and was tackled on his team’s one-yard line. Starting deep in their own end, the Redblacks worked the ball out of trouble.

Ottawa took a 6-0 lead on a 32-yard Ward field goal 3:37 into the second quarter with the rookie kicker tying the CFL single-season record for consecutive field goals at 32 (the record for consecutive field goals is 39 by Rene Paredes, but that was over two seasons). The Ottawa drive was set up by a C.J. Gable fumble. The Edmonton running back took a shovel pass from Reilly, but the ball was jarred lose by Anthony Cioffi and recovered by A.C. Leonard.

Soon after, the Redblacks had another great opportunity to score a touchdown, with a drive extended by a pass interference penalty. What would have been a touchdown pass to Mark Korte (an offensive lineman who was pass-eligible on the play) was wiped out by an illegal interference penalty on Brad Sinopoli. Two plays later, Trevor Harris was intercepted by Chris Edwards on the Eskimos one-yard line.

The Redblacks made it 9-0 on another Ward field goal, this time from 20 yards (setting the single-season record). The big play was a 35-yard catch by R.J. Harris. Their drive was extended when they successfully challenged pass interference.

The Eskimos got the ball back with 1:40 left in the first half. After a 39-yard completion to Martese Jackson, the Eskimos won a Coach’s challenge on pass interference in the end zone and, on the next play, Reilly plunged in for the touchdown. After the convert, it was 9-7 Ottawa.

After the kickoff, the Redblacks got a 33-yard run by Powell and a 13-yard catch by Spencer before Ward booted a 40-yarder as time ran out in the half.

After a nice catch by Spencer along the sideline, a 20-yard field goal by Ward 5:29 into the third quarter made it 15-7.

The Eskimos tied the game with 4:33 left in the third quarter as Reilly found Duke Williams for a 23-yard touchdown pass. The two-point convert pass to Bryant Mitchell was good.

Harris was driven to the ground and the ball popped out. The on-field ruling was a 74-yard touchdown by linebacker J.C. Sherritt. But the CFL Command Centre ruled Harris’ knee was down, so the Redblacks had new life and Ward booted a 40-yard field goal to make it 18-15.

The Redblacks survived a close call when Reilly fired a pass into the end zone with Williams the target. Williams tipped the ball into the air and pulled it in as he hit the ground – but the officials ruled (correctly) that the ball touched the ground.

A big punt return — 30 yards — set the Eskimos up at the Ottawa 34. But a Reilly pass was tipped into the air and picked off by Rico Murray. After Edmonton got an illegal participation penalty, Ottawa got the ball on its own 33. Harris found Sinopoli for gains of 38 and 11 yards. On a huge third-down gamble with five minutes left, needing a bit more than a yard on the Edmonton nine, Powell leaned forward for the first down. Greg Ellingson caught a pass on the one and muscled his way into the end zone for a touchdown. The Ward convert made it 25-15 with 3:24 left.

Facing third-and-five on their own 30 with 2 1/2 minutes left, the Eskimos gambled and the Redblacks got the ball when a fierce pass rush knocked the ball out of Reilly’s hands. Ward booted a 22-yard field goal to make it 28-15.

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